It's no secret that becoming a nurse is no easy task. It takes a lot of hard work and endless nights. But all of that dedication pays off when it's time to gather around for the pinning ceremony to receive nursing graduation pins.
Although some might think that this ceremony is a simple pin being placed onto a graduating nurse's chest, it's actually much more than that. There is true significance behind the reasoning for the pinning ceremony and many nursing students look forward to it more than the actual graduation. Why?
Because obtaining a nursing pin is what makes the nursing students stand out from the others, and it's something that each and every one of them is proud of. And beneath the seemingly simple ceremony is tradition and history that should be treasured for the rest of time.
Continue reading to learn more about why the pinning ceremony is so important for graduating nursing students.
There is much of a tradition when it comes to the nursing pinning ceremony. You might be surprised as to how far back it dates and who it relates to. With so much history and tradition, the pinning ceremony holds much significance.
The pinning ceremony dates back to the 12th Century. Several knights lent a hand in helping wounded crusaders. And once monks entered the Knights Order, they also continued to help those crusaders who were injured.
The monks began to hold ceremonies where each one of them was presented with a Maltese Cross, which they then wore on their arm.
During the Crimean War, Florence Nightingale was known for her selfless acts of helping others. She took her work of helping the injured men in the Crimean War very seriously. And with this, she also made it a point to reward her nursing graduates with a medal of excellence.
This medal was given to those whom she believed worked the hardest. And in the 1860s, she was honored with the well-known Red Cross of St. George.
But by 1916, the United States set it as a standard to reward all graduating nurses with a pin of accomplishment and not just a select few. The pins show each graduating nurse's completion of education. These pins act as proof and identification of a true nurse.
During the pinning ceremony, nursing graduation pins are handed out to the graduating nurses, and it's a way to make every new nurse feel special. The newly graduated nurses hold this ceremony close to their hearts because of how personal and intimate it is. The students' very own teachers honor them with the pins and pin them.
The teachers also take the time to talk about each student's accomplishments throughout their nursing education, which is an emotional time for every student that has worked as hard as they have to get there. This ceremony gives graduating nurses a day all about themselves.
It's strictly nursing students, so there won't be students from other graduating programs attending. All nursing students look forward to this day because it signifies what they've worked for and who they have become.
Because completing nursing school takes so much dedication, time, and work, most students have a special loved one in their lives who they'd like to dedicate their nursing pin to.
This person is usually someone who has helped them along the way through their nursing journey. It can be anyone including a significant other, parent, or close friend.
In some cases, this person chosen for dedication will join the graduate on the stage. They then read a letter written by the graduate on why he or she chose this person to dedicate their pin to. This is another very emotional time during the ceremony and is important to both the graduate and their chosen person of dedication.
The pinning ceremony is the final step in officially initiating the recent graduate into the nursing society. The students have now taken a vow to always help those who are sick, injured, or in need of any medical attention. The pinning ceremony is the bridge between a nursing school and a nursing career.
And nursing graduation pins are the final step to take once crossing that bridge. These pins not only signify the hard work and dedication, but they are also a physical symbol of their initiation into the nursing field.
This is why continuing the nursing pin ceremony tradition is so important.
The tradition of pinning new graduates with nursing graduation pins is one that should carry on from generation to generation. It holds so much significance not only in tradition and history, but also in each nursing students' hearts as well.
It's a moment that every nursing grad looks forward to, and it's what makes them stand out from the rest of their school's programs.
Every nursing program should hold a pinning ceremony for its students. And what's even more great about the pinning ceremony is that nursing pins are completely customizable. Whether you want to stick with the traditional oil lamp design or go with something more relatable to the school or program itself, there's a pin for every school.
Click here to see all the customizable pin options available to you. Give your nursing students a moment that they'll never forget!
Did you realize that employee engagement rose to nearly 35 percent last year? While this is much better than in previous years, this statistic shows that American business owners still have a long way to go when it comes to connecting with their employees.
Failing to find ways to engage your employees can lead to problems with productivity and higher than normal turnover rates. Some business owners get so wrapped up in the day to day managing of their company that they fail to give employees a pat on the back. Learning about the importance of employee recognition of essential when trying to grow your business.
If your team is unmotivated and feel like they are being taken for granted, then they will do bare minimum while on the clock. Instead of dealing with the negative consequences this will create, you need to hand out rewards and recognition whenever possible.
Read below to find out more about why employee recognition is so important.
The cornerstone of any successful business is high levels of productivity. If everyone on your team is pulling their weight, doing things like meeting project deadlines and taking on large scale projects will be a breeze.
Employees who feel like the work they do doesn’t really matter have a habit of phoning it in while on the clock. This “bare minimum” attitude can affect your business in a negative way. Rather than letting your team feel neglected and unappreciated, you need to take the time to recognize the hard work they do.
If you give your team an incentive to work hard, they will give you their all on a consistent basis. Whether you recognize employees with a plaque or coveted parking place, showing them that you care is paramount.
As most adults know, getting up and going to work on a daily basis can become draining over time. People who are not being recognized or engaged in the workplace may start to dread working. The last thing you want is a workplace full of unhappy and disgruntled employees.
The main goal you should have as a business owner is making your employees happy. The best way to do this is by showing them you see and appreciate what they are doing.
Often times, happier employees will call in less and get more done while they are on the clock. As you develop an employee recognition program, you should view this process as an investment in your company. The time and money you put into this recognition will definitely pay off in the long run.
Taking a business from a startup to success story can be very challenging, to say the least. As your business begins to grow, you will need to hire more employees to lighten the workload. Attracting the best and brightest in your industry will require a lot of hard work and a good reputation.
If word gets around about how well you treat your employees, getting top talent will become much easier. Most people who are looking for a job will thoroughly inspect things like company culture before making any decisions.
When applicants look at your company culture, you want them to find an atmosphere that values hard work and productivity. Hiring new employees with experience and drive will allow you to take your business to the next level.
One of the biggest problems most business owners have is relaying the goals they have to their team. If your employees don’t know where you want to take the business, they will have a hard time feeling like part of the team. This is why you need to keep them in the loop regarding changes coming down the line.
If you truly appreciate your employees, you need to make an effort to show them they are equals. Once employees start to feel like part of the team, your goals will become their goals.
Trying to take your company to the top without help from your employees will be nearly impossible. This is why you need to focus on having regular meetings to relay information and to recognize their hard work. Getting your team out of the office is a great way to get to know them and have these meetings in a comfortable environment.
Taking on larger projects can be a nightmare if your team doesn’t play well with each other. Attempting to run a business with a workforce that has a “me first” attitude can lead to lots of problems. This is why you need to focus on recognizing the hard work of employees in groups.
Putting together groups to handle certain aspects of a project can be extremely helpful. The more hands you have on deck when working on a project, the easier you will find it to get results. If your team is aware of your practice of offering recognition to groups of workers, they are more likely to embrace the power of collaboration.
If you are looking for a way to improve teamwork and inter-office relationships, offering team-building exercises is a great idea. Once you show your team how much more they can do with the help of others, increasing collaboration will be a breeze.
Building a winning team can be much easier when learning more about the importance of employee recognition. Being consistent with your employee recognition efforts can go a long way when attempting to grow and strengthen your business.
Are you looking for unique ways to show your employees you care? If so, find out more about us and the customized metal goods we have to offer.
Whether you're planning an event for the public or looking to reward employees, there's always the problem of what to offer. Should you award cash, plaques, or certificates? Should you limit it to event winners, high performers, or should everyone get something? Custom medals provide you with a solution to most of these problems. Even better, they offer many other benefits. Let's jump in and take a closer look at those benefits.
At some point, you probably participated in or even won an event that got little or no coverage. Everyday people and the media love a bit of spectacle.
Sure, watching someone cross a finish line or eat 7 pies is exciting, but it's over in a flash. Getting custom medals lets you do an awards ceremony. That's the kind of thing media outlets like to cover. It gives them an opportunity to capture footage of the winners getting the medals. That improves the chances of the event getting into the public eye.
Just as viewers like spectacle, participants like getting something physical to take home with them. It creates a psychological value to participating and winning. For example, you can make larger, custom medals for the winners. You can do a larger run of smaller participation medals for everyone else. It encourages participation by offering value to everyone.
Awarding medals offers an opportunity for brand building. Let's say fun is one of your brand values. Let your medals reflect that attitude. The first place medal might say, Supreme Champion, or feature a big gold star. You might put a big thumbs up on the second place medal. Third place might get a hand making the OK symbol. The mild silliness of the medals becomes another reinforcement of the brand's commitment to fun.
Businesses often struggle with employee engagement. This isn't helped by the tradition of annual reviews. Employees crave recognition at the time they perform well. The military handles this by handing out challenge coins for accomplishments. Don't offer feedback months after the fact. Adopt challenge coins or custom medals as a way to reward employees at the time. They'll feel acknowledged, which encourages better engagement.
Another stumbling block in regards to employee engagement and happiness is family goodwill. Spouses, children and even parents often pay a price when employees stay late. Use family events to acknowledge that sacrifice. For example, give spouses or children medals of their own. It fosters goodwill by showing you realize employees live much of their lives beyond the business.
Custom medals offer many benefits for events and businesses. They help solidify your brand and raise your profile. They create a sense of value for event participants. They also offer a way to foster goodwill and improve employee engagement.
Metal Promo specializes in customized metal products, such as medals, pins and challenge coins. To learn more about our offerings or to place an order, contact us today.
